Government & Legislation

Feb- 2021 -

22 February

Kennel Club praises ‘crack down’ on Scottish puppy farms

The Kennel Club has come out in support of ‘Lucy’s Law’, the Scottish government’s new legislation which is “cracking down” on Scottish puppy farms. Under ‘Lucy’s Law’, puppies and kittens will no longer be allowed to be sold in the country by a third party seller, such as pet shops…

19 February

Sunak to delay review of business rates until autumn

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to reveal that he will delay a final report on the review of business rates until later this year. According to The Financial Times, the delay of the report, which was set to consider the introduction of an online sales tax, comes as the chancellor…

17 February

Kennel Club praises change to Scottish breeding regulations

Kennel Club has praised the Scottish government for removing business tests from Scottish breeding regulations. The pet welfare organisation welcomed the government’s shift in policy and breaking away from previous licencing laws in England. The regulations, which are due to come into play from September, outline that breeders in Scotland…

16 February

Kennel Club welcomes stricter penalties on pet theft

Kennel Club has welcomed the announcement by home secretary Priti Patel that stricter penalties for pet theft will be introduced to prevent further crimes from happening. The dog health and welfare organisation has long pushed for amends to the Animal Welfare Act to make pet theft a specific offence. Dr.…

4 February

RSPCA Cymru relieved Animal Welfare Bill passes committee stage

RSPCA Cymru has expressed its relief that the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill has passed its committee stage. The charity has been calling for tougher sentencing for the worst animal abusers for years – and hopes that MPs from across the parties will come together to pass the Bill for the…

1 February

Government scraps Tenancy Agreement banning pets

The government has announced it will be scrapping a new Tenancy Agreement which would have allowed landlords to enforce a “blanket ban” on pets. Under the new agreement, consent for pets will be the default position and landlords will have to object in writing within 28 days of a written…

Jan- 2021 -

19 January

Brexit negotiations lead to new EU pet passports

Pets travelling between Northern Ireland (NI) and Great Britain (GB) now require either a newly issued EU passport or an EU animal health certificate following the end of the Brexit transition period. While there were previously “no requirements” for pets travelling across the border, the result of Brexit negotiations on…

19 January

Sunak looks to raise corporation tax in March budget

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly looking to raise corporation tax in the upcoming March budget to pay off the estimated £400bn borrowed by the UK throughout the pandemic. According to The Financial Times, the alleged move has sparked uproar among business owners who claim they are still struggling with the economic impact of Covid-19. However, it…

5 January

Chancellor unveils £4.6bn in new lockdown grants

Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are to receive a one-off grant worth up to £9,000, the chancellor has announced. The news comes after the prime minister’s announcement that businesses will be closed until at least February half-term in order to help control the spread of Covid-19. This…

Oct- 2020 -

19 October

MPs set to debate pet theft petitions

MPs are preparing to debate the growing issue of pet theft later today (19 October), after the success of three national petitions. The debate will be led by Tom Hunt MP, member of the Petitions Committee, and MPs from all parties are set to take part. In September, a petition…